"I helped you, and you offered to pay me. This is the payment I need, and I'm not open to any negotiations." My heart pounded fast when I realised that the little lie I had told had landed me in deeper trouble. After narrowly escaping death, the only thing on my mind was moving on from the betrayal of my family and ex-boyfriend, but my little revenge plan backfired. Now I'm forced to be with a stranger and on his terms. Why must I pay such a steep price for a small favour? Ava had endured so much abuse from the woman who claimed to be her mother. Finding out about her best friend and boyfriend's secret affair just a few days after she let him take her virginity was the straw that broke the camel's back. After surviving an accident, shattered Ava ran into her enemies on the day she was discharged. To level up and make them believe she had moved on with her life, she told a little lie with the aid of a stranger who later asked her to return the favour, but his demands were outrageous for Ava. He threatened to make her disappear from the face of the earth if she refused his payback option, now Ava's trapped with the stranger, in a new environment, very far from home. How long will she be his slave before she gains her freedom again?
Ava's POV:
The loud sound of someone knocking repeatedly on my door woke me from my slumber.
At first, I thought it was a dream, so I stretched my body and took a different position on my bed, trying to go back to sleep. I heard another loud bang on my door, and my heart skipped a beat.
"Is there a burglar in this house?" I muttered.
"Ava!" I heard my name. It was Eleanor's voice.
"Ava, get up this instant."
"If you don't have a job, don't you think you should at least get up early and make breakfast," Eleanor yelled as she banged on my door again.
I sat up and rubbed my eyes instantly, looking at the phone at my bedside. It was barely 4:30 a.m. It took me a few seconds to process what was going on. A week after I bid my parents farewell, I moved in with my sweet mother's friend, who had never yelled at me until this morning. I was almost certain someone had gotten on her last nerve.
"Why did she have to wake me up this early?"
"Ugh!" I yawned as I got up from my bed and went to open the door for Eleanor who was still yelling and banging at my door.
"Good morning, Mum," I greeted.
"You fool! Who is your mother?" I was confused by that question because she told me I could call her mother when I moved in with her, she also promised to offer me motherly love and care for as long as possible. What changed?
"Why did you lock your room door? "
"I'm sorry, I..."
"Be sorry for your pathetic self, were you drunk last night or something? Because only a drunk person will pass out the way you did. I've been knocking and calling you for the past 30 minutes. Why did it take you so long to wake you up?" Eleanor yelled at me and I sighed heavily.
"I'm sorry," I said, still wondering why she was so upset that early.
"Go make breakfast," Eleanor said waiting for me to head to the kitchen immediately.
"What!"
"You heard me."
"But It's barely 4:30 am, and..."
"Shut your mouth, Ava. I know what the time is, go fix something for me to eat now!" She walked away after giving me a bad eye.
I didn't have the time to ponder why her attitude towards me had changed. But I knew that it was either she had been pretending all along, or she got possessed by the devil himself.
Who changes from a nice to a mean person overnight? I dragged my feet to the kitchen to prepare something for her.
"I want a sunny-side-up egg." I heard her say from the passage leading to the living room.
While I was on it, she came to the kitchen and asked me to prepare something enough for everyone at home.
We used to be four until her husband, Mr James went to jail.
Eleanor hated it when we mentioned his name, so we barely talked about him.
I made a breakfast of fried eggs, bacon, and toast bread with tea.
I wasn't hungry but I had to eat my breakfast at once and also prepare for work, I had received enough shock for the morning and didn't know what to expect next.
"Ava, you're eating all these?" She said looking at the food I served myself on the dining table.
"When you start making real money and supporting me in this house, you can eat this much, but for now, I won't let you eat like a glutton." She grabbed my plate and halved the food in it. I was angry about that, but I ate what was left.
I didn't know what response to give her without sounding disrespectful, but she was already getting on my last nerve.
She had the guts to mock me, but she used to eat over at our home when my parents were still alive. I had walked in on my Mum on three occasions giving her a few good-looking clothes too. My parents were not the wealthiest, but they were generous; they liked to share what they had, especially with family and friends.
It's funny how some people forget the good deeds done for them as soon as they stop receiving them, right? Maybe I should add "ungrateful" to that description.
It was over a year since I graduated from college but I was yet to get my dream job. I had to make do with the ones I got, even though the pay wasn't encouraging. Before my parents passed on, I had zero responsibilities, so I wasn't under much pressure to get a better job. They gave me all the assistance I needed.
I knew I had to continue applying and not give up. With the sudden turn of events, I had to start planning for the worse, I didn't have to wait to be thrown out.
I could only hope for the best, even though I didn't graduate from a prestigious college.
I sighed heavily and went back to the kitchen. I put Lydia's meal into a smaller plate to keep it warm for her while I got back to my room to get dressed for my job at the bakery.
I worked at the bakery in the morning and the library in the evening.
My jobs were not so bad after all, if not for any other thing, they kept me occupied, so I had less time to think about my parents who were no more. I loved the smell of freshly baked bread and enjoyed reading books, especially romantic novels.
After preparing for work, I heard Eleanor call me again.
I went to the living room, where she was watching a sitcom. She was still eating the breakfast I served her.
Once she saw me, she threw the cup of tea I made for her at me.
It hit me on the head, fell to the ground, and made a shattering noise.
I was stunned by that. It was the last thing I expected to happen amidst the frustration she let out since she woke me up. My next instinct was to defend myself, but I heard a small still voice say, "Don't do it."
"What kind of coffee did you make for me?" she spat. I had no idea what she meant.
"Is there no milk in the house?" She yelled at me angrily.
I sustained an injury on my head from the impact of the cup that she threw at me.
"I'm sorry, I'll make another one," I said to her and she scoffed.
"Never mind, just get your filthy self out of my sight," she said to me and I nodded and walked into the kitchen to get a broom. I swept the pieces of broken glass carefully.
"Replace my teacup."
"I will," I responded as I went into my room to change my dress. I felt bad but didn't want to give her the satisfaction of seeing me broken.
I took off my clothes and went to take my bath for the second time that morning. I changed into a new set of clothes, grabbed my bags, and was ready to leave the house.
It was already 7 a.m., and I was supposed to clock in at work by 7:30 a.m., so if I didn't leave immediately, I'd be late.
"Ava," Eleanor called out when she saw me heading toward the front door.
"Give me some money! I need to go shopping for the house today, what I have on me won't be enough," she said and I frowned.
It was now clear to me that this woman was after my life, I didn't know why. What was my crime?
"I don't have any," I responded and she laughed.
"I guess that's a joke, Ava." She said to me and I sighed heavily wearing a more serious face, hoping she would believe me this time.
"I honestly don't have any money to give you, all I have is my transport fare," I said and turned to leave.
But I made the wrong decision because she pulled me to face her and gave me a dirty slap.
"Give me the money you have now!"
Serena agrees to marry her boss on contract to save her sick Father and give elevation to her poor family. She has no choice but to remain a maid in secret and a housewife in public to the rude CEO of Eclat Finance. Things get complicated for Serena when the CEO's best friend blackmails her about her past and threatens her into doing the unspeakable to enable him to swindle his best friend. Serena is stranded as she falls in love with the CEO but cannot go back on her agreement to betray him as that could cost her life and her family. Find out in the chapters what would go on, and how it would end for Serena.
"You don't matter to me, and you never will." He pushed me to the ground as I sobbed. "But here my dear, you're meant to please me. If your father had not come begging on his knees, I wouldn't be marrying you. So you better make this worth it or I'll have to kill you with my bare hands." He said, causing me to tremble out of fright as he moved towards me... No... not now please, I wasn't ready to lose my virginity. I fled out of the room but he was quick to catch me. He slammed me to the wall and my head hit hard against it. I wasn't strong enough to take the pain that came with it...my head felt light, and the next thing I knew was that I was consumed by darkness. ****** Kassidy's life became a relentless series of injustices after her mother's death. She was coerced into a marriage she had to endure, bearing witness to her husband's cruelty. She never considered their union genuine, having been raised in an abusive home. She could only hope that one day she would find peace with the world and life. Meanwhile, Melody, her covetous stepsister, desired everything that had ever been offered to Kassidy, including her inheritance, claiming it as her birthright. Melody's father, Steve Jean, who is also Kassidy's stepfather, withheld privileges from Kassidy while he imposed an unfair condition. Kassidy must marry! Perplexed, Kassidy felt chills of terror running down her spine upon hearing the name proposed for her. The rumors circulating about him filled her with dread, but she was left with no choice. She reluctantly surrendered herself and her birthright to her step-sister. How much longer could she endure this injustice? As for Bruno, fate appeared to have different plans in store for them. How could she possibly cope?
Two people - both fiercely independent and unapologetically restless. Bound together by a love that is both beautiful and dangerous. Can they learn to trust and rely on each other, or will their individual natures tear them apart?
In the previous life, Maggie Johnson was so cowardly, gullible and stupid that she was coaxed by her fiance and stepsister and then broke her legs and lost everything including her fortune, love and even life. However, she was so lucky that she was reborn in the year before everything happened. Since her life restarted, how could she repeat a previous tragedy? Therefore, in this life, she took the opportunity to improve herself and take revenge on the ones who had ever insulted her. Facing the people who had humiliated her previously, she became smart and experienced to break their frames and tricks that had caused her to hurt in the previous life. Finally, no one could stop her pace to amaze the world any more.
Aria Wilson agrees to her step- sister offers to have a one night stand with an old man interchange for large amounts. It will be use for his brother's operation. What they don't know is the man she had sex with is turned out to be Jake Thomson! The most powerful man in Golden City, a multi-billionaire. Her step- sister Ayah, pretended that she is the one he was with that night so she is the on who gained wealth. Aria got pregnant and walked away but after five years she came back and her children...
They don't know I'm a girl. They all look at me and see a boy. A prince. Their kind purchase humans like me for their lustful desires. And, when they stormed into our kingdom to buy my sister, I intervened to protect her. I made them take me too. The plan was to escape with my sister whenever we found a chance. How was I to know our prison would be the most fortified place in their kingdom? I was supposed to be on the sidelines. The one they had no real use for. The one they never meant to buy. But then, the most important person in their savage land-their ruthless beast king-took an interest in the "pretty little prince." How do we survive in this brutal kingdom, where everyone hates our kind and shows us no mercy? And how does someone, with a secret like mine, become a lust slave? . AUTHOR'S NOTE. This is a dark romance-dark, mature content. Highly rated 18+ Expect triggers, expect hardcore. If you're a seasoned reader of this genre, looking for something different, prepared to go in blindly not knowing what to expect at every turn, but eager to know more anyway, then dive in! . From the author of the international bestselling book: "The Alpha King's Hated Slave."
She thought he was the villain. He was only trying to save his soul. Rena lives in a world of sunshine, sweets, and simple dreams. Until one reckless decision drops her into a dark realm of secrets, curses and werewolves. Kidnapped, heartbroken. She doesn't know who to trust anymore especially not Logan, the arrogant, cruel Alpha who's keeping her as a hostage. Until she discovers his dark secret. He's been hearing her thoughts all along. Now the walls between them are crumbling. And when feelings grow where hatred once lived, a curse demands that blood becomes a love that demands sacrifice. But how can she give her heart to the one who might need it to die?
Melanie married Ashton out of gratitude, but she quickly found herself entangled in a web of relentless challenges. Despite these struggles, she stayed true to her commitment to the marriage. In the hospital room, Ashton indifferently attempted to draw her blood, disregarding her discomfort. This callous act was a harsh revelation for Melanie, awakening her to the grim reality of their relationship. Resolved to prioritize her own welfare, she decided to sever ties. With newfound resolve, Melanie filed for divorce. In the process, she unveiled her concealed identities, leaving everyone in shock. Throughout these turbulent times, Melanie realized that Derek, Ashton’s uncle, had been discreetly protecting her all along.
Rachel used to think that her devotion would win Brian over one day, but she was proven wrong when his true love returned. Rachel had endured it all—from standing alone at the altar to dragging herself to the hospital for an emergency treatment. Everyone thought she was crazy to give up so much of herself for someone who didn’t return her feelings. But when Brian received news of Rachel’s terminal illness and realized she didn’t have long to live, he completely broke down. "I forbid you to die!" Rachel just smiled. She no longer needed him. "I will finally be free."